Food groups:Meat, fish and eggs

1. Food Groups Food groups can be classificated according to:

Origin: Animal or vegetal Organism functions: Energetic, structurals, regulatory… Depending on their nutrient content: milk, meat and fish, vegetables…

Now, we will follow a sort out, depending on their nutrient content:

Milk and dairy products. Meat, fish, eggs and vegetables.** Patotoes, cereals and vegetables. Vegetables. Fruits. Fats, oils and nuts. Sweets and sugar sweets.

2. Meat, fish and eggs There are food groups, which have got animal origin that destacate for

being a great protein sources with a higher biological value. And also give us B vitamin and iron.

The nutritional value of the meat is very similar to fish and eggs, but should not be consumed in equal amounts or replace some food for others. It is not the same eating 200 gr of seabass than eating 200 gr of lamb, because they have got different nutritional content.

As an example: it is such important to eat 200 gr of lamb as 200 gr of seabass, the difference is that seabass is healthier because they provide us Omega 3 substance.

3. Meats

3. Meats. Characteristics The most general characteristics of meat group are:

They have approximately 16-22% of proteins with a higher biological value. Birds have the same protein that pork and beef.

They are rich in minerals as iron and phosphorous. They are rich in B1, B2 and B3 vitamins. Their fat content is around 4 to 25%. Meat is rich in saturated fatty acids and also poor in insaturated fatty acids. The less fattiest meats are: horse, rabbit and chicken. The more fattiest meats are: pig, duck and lamb.

3. Meats: Classification

Meats are divided in:

Red meat:goat, sheep, pig and cattle meat… White meat: poultry meat.

According to fatty content, meat can be: Lean Meat: for each 100 g, less than 6 g are fats. Semi-fats: for each 100 g, approximately 6-12 g are fats. Fats: for each 100 g, more than 12 g are fats.

The quality of the meat is recognized by: Number and distribution of fat, digestibility, flavor and tenderness of the meat.

3. Carnes: Clasificación

Meats can also been classificated in:

Meat products which are heat treated: sausages or bologna. Salting meat: ham ir bacon. Cured meat: red sausages or chorizo.

4. Fish

4. Fish. Characteristics The most general characteristics of fish group are:

They have as meat, nutritive propierties, but referring to fats, fish fat are insaturated. Their nutritive value is similar than meat.

They are rich in minerals: specially odine, fluorine and calcium, and furthermore contain iron, potassium and sodium.

They are rich in A and D vitamins. Their proteic content are arounf 18 – 20%. In fish fat, there are a big amount of poliinsaturated fatty acids. Ej: Omega 3.

4. Fish: Classification

We make fish classification acording to their fatty content:

Fat or blue: their fatty content is around 5 – 10%. We can destacate tuna, eel or salmon.

Lean or white: their fatty content is less than 5%. We can destacate: cod, hake, monkfish or hake.

4. Fish: Seafood and types There are two types of seafood:

Crustaceans: Have little fat amount and the body of this animal is covered by a shell that protects it. Among them are: crabs, crab, lobster, crayfish, shrimp, prawns …

Mollusks: Animals invertebrates with soft that can be covered or not body. They have fewer cholesterol, among them are: clams, cockles, mussels, oysters, barnacles, squid, octopus, cuttlefish...

5. Eggs

5. Eggs. Characteristics:

Eggs main characteristics are:

Excellent qualities of proteins: They have 13% of proteins which has got essential aminoacids.

They have got a non-existent content in carbohydrates. They contain approximately with a 70% of water and a 12% of fats. They provide us all type of vitamins, except C vitamin. Referring to minerals, this food contain: iron, magnesium, zinc…

6. Vegetables

6. Vegetables: Characteristics

* We put this food into this groups, due to their nutritive content. The main characteristics of vegetables are:

They have got a high proteic content: 17 – 25%, but with a lower biological content.

Their proteins have got vegetal origin. A big amount of vegetables are carbohydrates, approximately 55%. The

biggest part is fiber. Its essential amino acids are complementary to those of cereals. For

example: rice with lentils. Contain group B vitamins. Give us minerals like calcium, iron and magnessium. We can destacate beans, lentils, chickpeas…

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